Amusement device



P. FABER. AMUSEMENT DEVICE. vAPPLICATION FILED DEC. 9. 1919.

Patented Feb. 8,1921

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

di a/la P. FABER. AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

l 'APPLICATION mep Dic. 9, 191s.` 1,367,868.

Pneuma- Feb. s, 1921.`

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

`UNITD STATES PATENT OFFICE.A

PHILIP FABEB, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 LENA. BILLET, OFBRO0KLYN,`

NEW YORK.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led December 9, 1919. Serial No. 343,589.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP FABER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Brooklyn of the city of New York, in theState of New York, have 1nvented certain new and useful Improvements inAmusement Devices, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to an amusement device of the character in whichthere is combined competitive sport with healthy eXercise. In accordancewith the invention there areemployed a series of two or more bicyclesset on stationary frames and connected operatively through a positivemechanical transmission with a series of visual indicating devices, bothof a mechanical and electrical character, which `will serve to indicateat all times the relative proficiency of the participants asv bicycleriders, and announce the real winner at the conclusion of the race. Theprincipal object of the invention is to provide in an amusement deviceof this character athletic implements, such as bicycles, which willappeal to the public as a healthy form of competitive amusement, and toassociate. with bicycles eflicient me-` chanical appliances which willinsure accurately an indication of the relative proficiencyof theparticipants,- thereby eliminating any element of chance or of unfairindications, such as result from inefficient'v mechanism which has beenemployed under somewhat similar' conditions in other amusementappliances. More particularly, the invention is concerned with thelprovision of a single clutch, operable by the attendant, to connect theseveral bicycles with their respective driven indicating mechanisms soas to insure a fair start ofthe race. A further object is toprovide animproved transmission between'the sprocket of each bicycle and itsdriven indicating means so that such indicating means is driven at alltimes in exact accordance with the speed of propulsion of the bicyclesprocket. Still another object is to mount within sight of all of theparticipants miniature figures which travel along a track in exactaccordance with the speed ofpropulsion of the sprockets ofthe Vrespective bicycles and indicate to the par ticipants at all timesduring the race their relative proficiency. Another object of theinvention is to provide visual electrical indicating means controlled bythe said miniature figures to indicate the real winner at the conclusionof the race. A further 0bject is to associate with the miniature figuresand the track over which they move a bai rier, operable by the attendantat the time of operation of the clutch for the transmission, to insure afair get-away of the several figures at the commencement of the race andto mark their relative positions at the conclusion of the race. Theinvention will be described in greater detail hereinafter in connectionwith the detailed description of the illustrated embodiment in thedrawings, in which drawingsv Figure l is a view in plan of the improveddevice showing the relation of the bicycles to the track over which theminiature {igures move.

Fig. 2 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in section of thedevice shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation and on a somewhat largerScale of one cf the miniature figures which is movableover the track. l

Fig. i is a view in front elevation of Athe figure shown in Fig. 3, thefront Wheel of the miniature bicycle being removed.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation and on a somewhat largerscale showing' the transmission mechanism between one of the bicyclesand the driven chain which carries the miniature figure on the track.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail Viewl in .elevation showing the relationof the driving chain to one of the miniature figures on the track andtheelectrical `devices for announcing the winner.

Fig. 7 is a detail view partly in elevation andpartly in lsectionshowingthe improved clutch for the transmission mechanism between one ofthe bicycles and its driven mechanism.

Patented Feb. a,I 1921.

-In accordance with the invention, two or Y more bicycle frames a aremounted on a stationary base, the sprockets a Vand Z) ofy two suchbicycles being indicated in Fig.

l with their associated pedalsl 612,6 andV of this specification todescribe the transmission and associated elements of only one suchtransmission. 'As shown particularly in Figs. 5 and 7, the sprocketchain a2 drives a sprocket at which is idle on a shaft c journaled insuitable standards CZ mounted in front of the bicycle c., On the shai'tc is slidingly mounted a clutch sleeve c on the face or". Which arelcarried clutch pins e adapted to pass through holes f in a guide disk ffastened tothe shaft@ `When the clutch sleeve 'e is slid to the lett, asviewed in Fig. 7, thepins c enter holes a5 termed in the hub ofthesprockct a* thereby coupling vtheV sprocket to the sha-tt c. VTheclutch sleeve e is `engaged operatively by anarm g which is carried by asleeve q slidably mounted on'a shaft 7L journaled in the standards CZ.The shaft 7i has secured there-V to a collar 7i which is connectedyieldingly through a spring` 7t2ivith thesleeve g.. E he shaft 7i alsohas secured thereto acollar 7a2 which isc'onnected through a link 7iA1to a clutch lever 7i5 pivoted, as at M, to'one of the standardscZ Thepoint ci attachment hl of ,thelink 7# tothevlever 7&5 isv at 'one sideof the ulcruin 7L of the lever, so that y the link is oil center withrelation to this vfulcrurn in eitherV extreme position of the itsoperative and inoperative posit-ions.4 rElie shaft 7L, it shouldbenoted, may be extend*v ed transversely across the entire series of Cilbicycles, so as toV operate clutch inemhersV for Veach of the respectivetransmissions in the precise manner described with relationA to thebicycle c. Invthis Way, ivien the attendantthrovvs'the clutchV lever 7t5all of the Sprocket chains c3, Z22, etc., are connected operatively Withthe respective transmissions of the various bicycles.

On the shaft c is secured a spiral gear c' which meshes with a spiralgear Z: on a shaft 7c,this shaft being operatively geared through aspiral gear thereon with a vertically disposed *driven Yshaft 73y Thesprocket chains 52, etc., -of each of the other bicycles are operativelyYconnected by cor-v respondingr elements to'otlier vertically disposeddrive shafts 62, etc.

Y 'j Inwfront orl the series of bicycles is sup-y ported a trackZ,as bycolumns Z,'and this track has cut therein slots Z2,7Z3, correspondj ingin 'number to thenumber bicyclesin 6UV the series. The shaft 7c3 drivenromythe sprocket` chain e2; has a 'bearing 7a4 formed inthe undersurface of `the track Z and car.- ries 'adj acent its upper' end asprocket Wheel 705 which engaii'esa chain m supported on idlers'm andadapted-to traveldirectly be# neath the slot The sprocket 705, it Willbe noticed, bea 1s on the inside of the chain thereby bringing themainmum number offA sprocket teeth in engagement with the links at alltimes. While the track Z is shown of elliptical form and the slots Z2,Z2 etc. are of a corresponding outline, it is to under stood that astraight track with straight slots might be employed, in which case someof the provisions made especially by reason of the curvature'othe trackand slots would be found unnecessary. rlhe chain m carries a plate m2Which extends up through the slot Z3 and supports ab ve the track aminiature bicycle 'It on Whichv is a miniature rider fn', one oi theWheels a2 oi this miniature .bicycle being in rictional engagement withthe surface of Ythe track and adapted to drive a sprocket chaine3 andthrough it move the Ylegs n4 of the miniature rider in such man- '5.3ner asto simulate the usual'motions of a bicycle rider. Y Y From thedescription'given, it will be evident that vthe miniaturev bicycle -n onthe track ZWill travelfat a speed which is proportionate to the speed oftra-vel of the sprocket chain a3 and that this speed will dependentirely upon the proficiency of theA rider on the bicycle'ia. 1n likemannertheV drivenfshaft Z13 derivesits movement from 9 the sprocketchain 520i anotherbicycle and through the engagement of a sprocket wheelbton this shaft With a secondchainvofimmee Y diately beneathr the slotZ2, a second miniature bicycle 0 above the track Z is pro` pelled'inaccordance with the proficiency or" the rider on the bicycleihaving thesprocket chain 712. By reason of the different' radiiV of the slots Z2,Z3, compensatioutorthe diile'rent linear distances which theminiatuiebicycles n, 0' travelA around the track is made up by makingthe sprocket wheel Vb, a on the different bicycles of differentY 'teethratio.V Inthi's Way, although thek miniature bicycle 0 has to travel agreaterlinear: distance than'V the Ybicycle n, the rider on the bicyclea has thea'dvantage of the other rider'byv having a larger gear ratio onhis .driving sprocket," thereby making the miniature riders travel at aspeed indirect proportion to the proli-` 115 ciency of the riders. 'Y Y`Uoove the track YZ and extendingtrans# versely to the slot'sZ2, Z,3 isVmounted a barrier p, movable Vvertically along guidestandards Y p Vandsupportedby a cord pvvhich extends overpulleys p3 and is connectedl totoot Y pedal p by depression of which the/attend? Y Cil iic

'ant may' raise'th'e barrier p above'the level ofA the miniature ridersaf, o. At tlieco'ni? mencement of thev raceV the 'miniature Yriders 12VVare"broupjit'along the slots *upv to this Ybar-V rier p andplaced online with one another,v so that the raising of the barrier will leave; Ythe miniature riders free toV be moved and a'.

Vfair and simultaneous get-away is'insuredl 13o *'fter the miniatureriders have passed the "tance from the barrier p there are mounted pairsof opposed spring terminals g, Q', respectively, which are in electricalcircuit with a display frame "f having numbers corresponding to thenumbers of the various VKbicycles in the series. When the plate m2,

say, carrying the miniature bicycle n, comes into contact with the pairof terminals g in the slot Z2 the corresponding number for that bicyclewill be flashed in the display frame r so as to indicate the number ofthe winning machine. In like manner, if any one of the other miniaturebicycles first makes contact with its terminals the corresponding numberwill be flashed. When two or more finish simultaneously, the numberswill be ashed simultaneously.

In making use of the apparatus the sprocket chain a3, b2 of the variousbicycles will be manipulated to bring the respective miniature figuresn, o intoline adjacent the barrier p and the clutches of all of thetransmissions will be simultaneously released by manipulation of theclutch lever h5 in the manner described. The attendant will then raisethe barrier p by depressing the foot lever p* and at the. same timethrow the clutch lever h5 to engage simultaneously all of the clutchesof the several transmissions. The riders on the various bicycles willthen pedal and the miniature figure connected to the machine of eachrider will travel over the track at a speed proportionate to theproficiency of the particular rider. At all times the relative positionsof the various figures will .indicate the relative speeds which thevarious riders are making and a very keen competitive interest will bemaintained at all times. Since the connection between each of thebicycles and the miniature figures is a positive mechanical one, thereis no element of chance or unfairness about the conclusion of the racesince the best rider will necessarily win. Under some circumstances, itis possible that the pins e of each of the clutch members will notregister exactly with the holes a5 in the idler sprocket wheels a4 butwill impinge on the metal between the holes. In case there is no rideron the particular bicycle in whose transmission this condition occurs,the yielding connection 7a2 between the sleeve g and collar h will,nevertheless, permit the clutch shaft L to `be slid for the purpose ofthrowing in the clutch elements of the transmission of the otherbicycles. In such a case the clutch sleeve e would not slide but thecollar h would slide with the shaft ZL relatively to the sleeve g. Incase this condition exists with a rider on a particular bicycle, aslight movement of the pedals would, of course,

cause the holes a5 to register with the pins e', whereupon the spring k2would immediately throw the pins into the holes andV clutch the sprocketa* to the shaft o. At the conclusion of the race as soon as the winnersnumber is flashed on the display frame 1' the attendant will throw theclutch lever h5 to disengage the transmissions of all of the severalbicycles so that the miniature figures on the track will at once stopmoving and remain in the relative order of their finish. It will benecessary to disengage the machines at this time also since the barrierp is resting across the slots Z2, Z3 and might be engaged by theminiature figures if they were permitted to continue their travel. As asafeguard against any such possible collision the pairs of electricalterminals g, g are spaced somewhat from the barrier p so that thewinners number is flashed sometime before the barrier is actuallyreached.

Certain modifications in the apparatus might be made without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. As pointed out before, the track Zmight be of some other than elliptical shape and where this track andthe slots Z2, Z3 are straight, it would become unnecessary to provide adifferential gearing ratio between the sprocket b, a. Again, it isconceivable that where it is desired to propel the miniature figures bythe arms instead of by the legs, hand crank Ibriight be substituted inplace of the pedals I claim as my invention:

1. In an amusement device, a series of stationary bicycle framesincluding a sprocket for each, a separate sprocket wheel for eachbicycle frame mounted loosely on a shaft and connected operatively tothe first named sprockets, respectively, a fixed track, movable devicesmounted in proximity to the track to indicate the relative speed ofoperation of each of the bicycles, transmission mechanism interposedoperatively between each of said bicycles and the respective indicatingdevices, a clutch interposed in the transmission mechanism of eachbicycle and including a clutch sleeve fixed on each of said shafts andhaving pins to engage the second named sprocket, an arm engaging thesleeve for each clutch, a single shaft with which each of said arms ismovable, and means to slide said last named shaft to operate all of saidsleeves simultaneously.

2. In an amusement device, a series of bi cycle frames including asprocket for each, a second sprocket for each frame mounted to the firstnamed sprocket', a fixed track,

" movable, devices vmounted in proximity to the track to indicate therelative speed of y operation of each Vof the bicycles, transmissionmechanism inter osed operatively between each of said lbicycles and there. spective indicating devices, a clutch interposed in the transmissionmechanism of each bicycle and including a clutch sleeve fixed on each ofsaid shafts and having pins to engage the second `named sprocket, an armengaging each of said sleeves, a second sleeve on Whicheach of said armsis carried,

a single shaft onvwhich each of said last.v

named sleeves is loosely mounted, collars fixed on the; last named shaftand yieldingr connections between therespective' collars and secondnamed sleeves.

3. In an amusement device,xa series ot stationary bicycle frames, vafixedl track, miniature figures mounted in proximity to the track toindicate the relativespeed of operation of each of the bicycles, saidtrack being provided with a slot for each of said figures, an operating'chain beneath each slot on which the respective figures are mounted, 1

transmission mechanism for each figurev operatively Vinterposed betweenthe chain for said ligure Vand the corresponding bicycle, clutchesinterposed in each of said transmission mechanisms, a barrier for thefigures Vmounted on the track across the slots and means to raise thebarrier.

,ThisV specification signed this 3d day of December, 1919: f

PIILIHPv FABER.

